2 May 1947Anzac Commemoration At CreswickCommemoration of Anzac Day at Creswick last Friday saw one of the biggest attendances in recent years.Returned servicemen from Newlyn, Smeaton and Clunes RSL joined their Creswick colleagues in the march and the public entered into a solemn commemorative service at the memorial column and in the town hall.As usual children from all the schools in the town and from Springmount participated in the march and a new feature was seen in the presence of the Girl Guides and their younger colleagues, the Brownies.There was a time when students of the School of Forestry participated annually as a school in the Anzac march but now the students are represented in the ranks of the returned servicemen.The Ballarat Pipe Band which led the march had an unfortunate experience-the bus in which they were to travel from Ballarat broke down and the delay in getting transport held up the march until after 11 o’clock. But they had sent telephone messages and the marchers waited for their arrival. Which was all to the good, since the band carried out its part perfectly.WHAT DOES ANZAC MEAN TO YOU“Did you come to pay homage?“Or just because it is the thing to do, to attend a service like this on Anzac Day?“To the men and women who appreciate, who are sincere, it is a great day.”-Mr H.F. Alcock, speaking at CreswickAt the memorial column, the Shire President (Cr A. W. Cosgrave) briefly addressed the gathering.“We are gathered today to honour those who paid the supreme sacrifice in two wars,” Cr Cosgrave said. “Thirty-two years ago, the name of Anzac was made famous by the deeds of a band of men who went forth to protect the ideals of life and Christianity.By their deeds and sacrifices, those ideals won through. Yet, in what was but a few short years, our young men were called on again to defend those ideals and this time to defend our country against invasion by a ruthless enemy. And we found the succeeding generation continued the traditions their fathers set.“Let us today try to realise the sacrifice they made and try to be worthy of their ideals,” he said.Offical wreaths were then place on the monument for the Shire Council, Creswick RSL, RSL Auxiliary, Dads, Red Cross, the schools, guides and brownies and other organisations and private citizens.At the town hall, Cr Cosgrave acted as chairman and the customary program of hymns and prayer was carried out with the assistance of Capt. Clark, Mr R. M. Bilson, Rev. F.H. Symonds and Rev. S. J. Hill.A wreath was placed on the honour roll by the RSL senior vice-president, Mr J. Brisbane, and the Last Post was played by Mr R. Pollard.Mr H.F. Alcock , of Dean, president of Newlyn RSL, gave the Anzac address.“The moving finger writes and having writ, moves on……” Mr Alcock quoted from Omar Khayyam, to impress that Anzac Day might well be a day of looking back and looking forward.Looking back, we realise that we are where we are today because of past actions-actions of our own, actions of others, actions of thousands of dead who lie overseas.It is a day of looking forward to the things we can do.The 25th of April is the birthday of Australia as a nation. Anzac Day commemorates not only the glory of Australia but it commemorates an action which has had no superior since that day.“We hear a great deal about the Spirit of Anzac. What do we mean by it?” he asked. “C.J. Dennis called them the singing soldiers:”“I found, in one of Australia’s official records, this splendid description of the Australian soldiers:’He quoted:“The impressive fact that Australians who served in the Great War in whatever capacity were inspired by the high sense of honour, disdain of danger and death, love of adventure, compassion for the weak and oppressed, self-sacrifice and altruism which were the embodiment of chivalry…….“The days of knights in glistening mail on richly caparisoned steeds riding forth with glistening retinues of squires and pages in search of honourable adventure had receded far into the mist of time when the tragic events of 1914 shook the very base and fabric of civilisation; their banners, their lances and their armor had decayed centuries since, but their spirit, sent down through the generations proved on countless occasions the most potent weapon in the armory of Great Britain and her allies.“In Australia the inauguration of this new order of chivalry evoked a nation-wide response. From all grades of society came Paladins to champion the cause of peace-loving peoples, whom they believed to have been wantonly assailed. Historians may differ as to the particular origin of the Great War but there will be no difference as to the spirit which prompted these plain citizens to ride forth. Among Australia’s knights were to be bound Bayards without fear and without reproach, the slouch hat replaced the plumed helmet, the somber khaki tunic the coat of mail, and the magazine rifle the sword and lance, but with the enthusiasm as lofty as that of any knight of old, these young men swore fealty to the oppressed against the despoiler and from that pledge voluntarily given they were not to be diverted by pain, peril, or privation. It can truly be said of them that they were faithful unto death.“With full justification Australians may find in the achievements of these young men the inspiration to serve their country in the days of peace. The spirit of service and sacrifice, justice and altruism which moved our compatriots in 1914-18 is still the means and the only means to the greatness and happiness of Australia.” Those words, he thought, summed up the motives and feelings of the men who went out to fight.But to look back to the close of the 1914-18 war-there came the peace, a wave of forgetfulness, an orgy of freer living. There followed the depression and, as we were rising from that depression, came the next war.“And the youth went forth and the nation again made promises-there were no “Ifs’ attached to those promises,” he said. “But with the war ended, comes again the tendency to get back to the old way of things………..“Where IS the New Order?” they felt forced to ask.And, while the vast majority of Australians are loyal citizens, the lads finding nothing moving to honour those promises are turning to various “isms.” If one told the people that the people are to blame, the reply comes pat, “No, no-its the politicians!”“They are WRONG,” said Mr Alcock. “There is no politician who will stand unbending against the will of the people if they make their wishes known.“But the movement has to start from the people like you, gathering at Anzac services today.“What of the next generation? Are we going to muddle along into another war? Lose the flower of our country, risk invasion again? Or are you going to do something about it? The time to start is now.“Men died in these wars that we might live. Are we going to turn over a new page to make sure their sacrifice is not in vain? If you don’t your sons and daughters, your loved ones will face the risks these other men faced and all you will have left of them will be a name on an honour roll.“Are you going to have industries closing their doors to returned men as they have been doing? You know, this industry is full-there is no room for more.” The shining exception to this rule is the Victorian Potato Growers’ Association which I salute for its attitude in making sure that a place was made for returned men who wanted to take up potato growing.Insidious forces are breaking down our British Commonwealth of Nations, he said. What hope have seven little millions here without the Mother Country behind us. Give up the idea of “What can I get out of anything I do” and this country will start to improve, “and,” he continued, “Let us educate ourselves to think-not to take the ‘daily tripe’as gospel- look below for reasons and motives. “Let us learn to think, let us hold out the friendly hand to all and help…. And we will do away with the unrest which is holding Australia back today.”

At North Creswick SchoolAt North Creswick school, Rev. F. H. Symonds gave an address on Anzac and the children listened to the radio broadcast for schools. Mr Symonds placed the council wreath and the children placed other wreaths on the North Creswick and Hollinwood schools’ honour rolls.

30 April 1948Bigger Attendance At Anzac ServiceAs anticipated, there was a much bigger attendance than before for Creswick’s Anzac Day commemoration last Sunday morning.In beautiful sunshine, the Highland Pipe Band led the march from Davies’ bridge. The servicemen of Creswick were joined by their colleagues from Smeaton, Newlyn and Clunes branches of the R.S.L. and the Dads, while the Springmount schoolchildren joined the children of Creswick schools again in the march, as well as the guides and brownies.At the memorial column, where the Shire President, Cr G.A. McKay spoke briefly, wreaths from the council, RSL, and patriotic organisations, schools and other organisations and individuals were placed on the column to the memory of servicemen of this district and their comrades generally who paid the supreme sacrifice.Cr McKay mentioned that it was the thirty-third anniversary of Anzac and he congratulated Creswick on the fine showing of all organisations present-that in itself showed appreciation of Anzac.At the town hall, Cr McKay was chairman and Mr H.F. Alcock delivered the address. The chairman was assisted by Capt. Clark, Mr J. Stickland, Rev. F.H. Symonds and Mr F. James R.S.L. President. Apologies for the absence of Rev. S. J. Hill and Rev. O. G. Muller and Mr R. T. Pollard, M.L.A., who were engaged elsewhere. Mr R. T. White had attended at the earlier part of the service and had to go to another service. Miss D. James played for the hymns and after Mr D.B. Adams had placed the R.S.L. wreath on the Honour Roll, the Last Post was sounded by Mr R. Pollard.

At Dean SchoolDean, Wattle Flat and Molloongghip schools combined to commemorate Anzac Day at Dean school last Friday when Cr G. A. McKay and Mr. H. V. May were the speakers.A wreath was placed on the honour board.Solos were rendered by Mrs Quick and Mrs R. Lockhart while school chldren recited poems suitable to the occasion. Mrs E. M. Tait was pianist.

1949

No information available

28 April 1950ANZAC LOOMS LARGE AT NEWLYN AND CRESWICKAnzac has loomed large in the memories of the people of Creswick shire this past week for the public attended in large numbers the Sunday service at Newlyn and the Anzac Day service at Creswick.At Newlyn, the seating capacity of the hall was filled and the same occurred at the larger Creswick town hall on Tuesday.Ballarat Soldier’s Memorial band was at both services, playing for the hymn singing at Newlyn and for the march at Creswick.The march this year from Davis’ bridge to the memorial was strongly attended by ex-service personnel and by guides, brownies and school children. Led by the band, with Mr A. New as marshal, the marching men formed up before the monument where a short ceremony was observed.The shire president (Cr A. C. Bousted) addressed the assemblage.“I would like to say how pleasing it is to see so many here and I must congratulate the returned servicemen on their big mustering for this march ,” Cr Bousted said in prefact to his brief address.“Today , Cr Boustead continued, we remember that first Anzac day 35 years ago, we remember the gallant deeds of our first Anzac, we remember too, the suffering of their relatives.“we remember later, the peace and the hope that it would be peace for all time we did not dream then, that in another 25 years, we would again be in the midst of another war. “But war did come again and we remember, today, that our men went fourth again with the courage and gallantry of the first Anzacs; we remember, today, their suffering in war and in prisoner of war camps; and we remember, too, the peace that came once more after what at one time seemed our almost miraculous saving from aggression.“While today we talk of peace and pray for peace, the danger is still with us,” Cr Boustead continued, referring to teeming millions of eastern nations. “ If one of the worlds great powers subdues those millions to its own advantage, the danger is still greater,” he said. He felt that if we prepared our own land against aggression, It would be our best protection for peace.On behalf of the residents of the Shire of Creswick, he placed a wreath on the memorial and this was followed by wreaths from Creswick R.S.L, Newlyn R.S.L, Creswick R.S.L Auxiliary, Newlyn R.S.L Auxiliary, Creswick Red Cross, Creswick girl guides, Creswick brownies, Victorian school of forestry, Creswick State school, North Creswick State school, Creswick school mother’s club, St. Augustine’s school and a number of private wreaths. Mr M. James, as president of Creswick R.S.L. recited the closing words of the Ode to the Fallen after the last post had concluded the act of silence remembrance.

Ode of Remembrance

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow oldAge shall not weary them, nor the years condemnAt the going down of the sun and in the morningWe will remember them